Irish firm wins contract to survey 6 Dutch wind farms

Xocean will deliver bathymetric surveys to gather high-resolution data assessing the condition of the monopile foundations, inter-array cables and export cable assets as part of ongoing maintenance.

This will be carried out by Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs) from Xocean’s fleet of 30 survey-class USVs (with a 31st hull now in production).

Each USV weighs just 750kg and its dimensions are 4.5m X 2.2m, Xocean told Maritime Journal, and all the technology is designed and manufactured in the company’s technical centres in Ireland and Australia.  

“Due to its small size and light weight, the carbon footprint is 1,000 times less than conventional vessels,” the company says. ”The Xocean USV is a fully uncrewed ‘Over-The-Horizon’ operation via satellite communications. Each USV sends real-time images and situational awareness data to Xocean’s team of qualified USV pilots and surveyors.

“The USV has been specifically designed around the geophysical survey equipment required to support the development, construction and operation of offshore assets such as wind farms. This includes for example Multibeam Echosounders, Sub Bottom Profilers, Sidescan Sonar and Magnetometers.”

The six wind farms to survey are as follows: 

• Borssele 3&4 (Blauwwind)
• Borssele 5 (Two Towers)
• Eneco Luchterduinen, Hollandse Kust Noord (CrossWind)
• Hollandse Kust West VI (Ecowende)
• Prinses Amaliawindpark (Eneco)

Xocean is establishing a permanent site office in IJmuiden, which will serve as an operational base to support this project and other contracts in the region, the company says.

“In terms of vessel scheduling, we will work closely with the wind farms to coordinate and sequence planned activities in the most efficient way possible, ensuring optimal use of our fleet and resources over the five-year programme.”

The company says it has completed more than 1,600 missions around the world with its fleet.